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16 Smart Ways to Survive Office Politics

Regardless of the industry that you’re in, you’ll be sure to encounter some form of office politics at some point in your career – whether it’s the sneaky boss who goes out of their way to make your life a living nightmare or the backstabbing coworker who steals your ideas and tries to throw you under the bus at any given occasion. You may also be faced with a company culture that simply doesn’t align with your own values or even a list of pathetic rules that grates your patience day in and day out.

Office politics can be a real struggle – sometimes forcing people to pack up and quit without even thinking twice. So, what can you do to handle the drama and survive the corporate world?

These tips will teach you how to deal with office politics and get ahead in the workplace!

1. Develop Your Network

Networking at work is one of the best ways to build a reputation for yourself and get recognised for your good work. You may initially think that you don’t need to communicate with colleagues outside your immediate circle at work, but to succeed in the workplace, you’ll need to know people in the business that you can turn to in a time of need – and that often means forming genuine relationships with people in other departments. This will also make it easier for you to move around the organisation when new and interesting opportunities arise.

2. Get to Grips with Company Culture

Do you know what the core values are at your organisation? If not, it’s time you got to grips with the company culture!

In other words, you need to discover what’s valued the most – is it hard work? Or, as silly as it may sound, is it the amount of time you spend at work each day? By being aware of how the company operates, you can base your actions on those motives to make sure you bag the next promotion and advance your career.

3. Avoid Gossiping

It’s easy to fall into the trap of gossiping at work and trashing your coworker that’s beginning to grate on your last nerve but speaking negatively about your colleague is going to do more damage than good – even if it is just that once. Nick Bailey, founder of Complex Ventures, advises that ‘when someone instigates a conversation where you would be inclined to b*tch about another coworker and you don't take the bait, you send a very strong message that you can be trusted in the other direction, too.’ So next time you go to badmouth your annoying work pal, think about the repercussions it may have if it backfires and reaches the boss’s ears.

4. Manage Conflict Effectively

If you’re caught in the middle of a conflict, it’s important to defuse the situation as soon as possible and not side with either of the parties involved. Remain empathetic to your colleagues but be sure to not give them any ammunition to drag you into their problem – your words can easily be twisted in the workplace and you’ll soon find yourself stuck in the middle of a feud that wasn’t your own to begin with.

5. Learn How to Promote Yourself

I know it might seem weird to blow your own trumpet, especially when you lean towards the introverted side, but in the workplace, it’s easy to go unnoticed if you’re quiet and you keep your head down. However, you must tread carefully here, as there is a fine line between self-confidence and arrogance – if you try to divert every conversation back to your own achievements, you’ll most likely rub your colleagues and your boss up the wrong way.

6. Seize New Opportunities

A good way to avoid office politics is to always be busy – and in order to always be busy, you need to look for opportunities that are outside your normal job description. If you keep taking on tasks that aren’t in your day-to-day duties, for example, you’ll have a bigger chance of being promoted. Remember: the more you do for the company, the more likely your employer will invest in you and your future with them.

7. Find a Mentor

By developing a relationship with a mentor in the office, you’ll be better equipped with dealing with office politics. Your mentor will have been there and done that and so will be able to offer you solid and useful advice. They’ll be able to tell you how things are done and where they themselves have gone wrong in the past to help avoid falling into the same traps.

8. Listen and Observe

Being a good listener is a difficult skill that many workers don’t perfect – people often forget that taking criticism isn’t always bad, and if you take the time to listen, you’ll be able to learn faster and advance in your career.

It’s also important to observe how the key players in the company act and move – I’m not advising that you mimic their actions, but rather that you pay attention to how they work as you may choose to develop similar working patterns.

9. Watch Your Back

If you’re a recent graduate, you’ll go into a new job trusting everyone that crosses your path – but, sometimes, colleagues can betray your trust to make themselves look better or to make sure that you don’t have a shot at advancing before them.

Therefore, it’s important to observe people’s behaviour and assess their personalities before sharing personal thoughts and information. Be sure that you’ve developed a good bond with them first, otherwise your trusting nature can turn around and bite you in the behind.

10. Be Nice to Everyone

Although you shouldn’t trust everyone you meet, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be hostile towards them. So, if someone is intentionally nasty to you or you simply don’t like them, it’s vital to always be pleasant toward them. Now, I’m not telling you to become besties with them and be super fake - I’m just saying that you shouldn’t give anyone a reason to badmouth you, especially in the workplace.

11. Avoid Crossing a Power Person

Fighting fire with fire is not going to get you anywhere in life, so if you have a power-hungry colleague who won’t stop until every last person has been taken down, it’s best to avoid them at all costs. Don’t fall prey to their tricks and be sure to steer clear of them.

If you’re forced to work with them, make them feel like their ideas are valued so they don’t double-cross you further down the line. Indeed, if you get into a disagreement with them with all guns blazing, you’ll only end up giving them a reason to criticise you.

12. Confront Political Gameplayers

On the other hand, if you notice that a gameplayer has an issue with you, you should pull them aside and quietly confront them about it. You could say something like: ‘I keep getting the feeling that you’re annoyed with me. Is there something that I’m doing wrong?’

If they pretend like everything is fine but still continue to act in the same way, you may have no other option than to report them to your boss or the HR department.

13. Be Helpful

Whether it’s the new intern or your boss that’s asking for your assistance, make sure you’re always able to offer a helpful hand. Remember: if you always share your knowledge with others, you’ll never be jobless – instead, you’ll be a useful source for any employer.

Teaching others your skills won’t mean that they will advance before you. On the contrary, it will merely show that you’re eager in making the team the best that it can possibly be, which is a prime example of great leadership skills.

14. Document Your Time

When you’re subject to your boss’s or colleague’s political tactics, it’s important not to retaliate. Instead, you should document your work, time and any conversations with this person. There should be physical proof of what you have achieved in your working hours, which should clearly demonstrate your work ethic. If you happen to get called in for a meeting, meanwhile, take advantage of the situation and show your productivity and protect your reputation.

15. Know Your Goals

Set your career goals and stay focused on your objectives without letting office politics lead you astray. You should frequently ask yourself if your behaviour lines up with your goals – if not, you know that you should readjust your attitude, turn over a new leaf and concentrate on what you want to achieve.

16. Don’t Let It Ruin Your Home Life

Office politics can easily leak into your personal life if you let it. We’ve all been there: an irritating colleague has wound us up by trying to throw us under the bus, we then go home in a bad mood and take it out on whoever or whatever is in front of us (because you can’t give the tw*t at work a piece of your mind). It’s important to leave your problems at the door when you leave for the day and not take it out on those you care about the most.

Office politics can quickly turn a calm working environment into a rendition of The Hunger Games, but it’s important to stay focused on your personal goals and remain positive at all times. That way you can climb up the ladder silently, while you let your power-hungry colleagues fight it out.

Have you been involved in an office politics saga? If so, join in on the conversation below and let us know how you handled it.